The Unexpected Assassin
by xXTheDragonRiderXx
Summary: Sometimes, you are misjudged for who you are, or what you are. There is a warlock, who's job required him to get his hands dirty, and yet he is unbelievable human, an ex-king, who doesn't know it, and is trying to run from his past, and a girl, who is supposed to be dead. How are they going to survive the darkness coming from inside of them now? Post 5x13. Reincarnation.
1. Chapter 1

_The Unexpected Assassin_

* * *

**Part One**

* * *

_"__Where are you?_

_"__I'm here. How small you are for such a great destiny." Ancient laughter filled the cave and Merlin squinted up, looking the beast. _

_"__Why?" Merlin asked in confusion. "What do you mean? What destiny?" _

_"__Your gift, Merlin, it was given to you for a reason." Crashing relief filled him, along with another emotion that he didn't know. _

_"__So, there is a reason." He said, voicing his thoughts out loud, but softly, almost to himself. The dragon seemed to hear him. _

_"__Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion." The dragon said, his voice bordering amusement. Merlin blinked. _

_"__Right." He said, sorting out his thoughts. _

_"__But he faces many threats from friend and foe alike." The dragon continued on. A nasty suspicion formed in his mind, and he crossed his arms. _

_"__I don't see what this has to do with me." He said defiantly. _

_"__Everything. Without you, Arthur will never succeed. Without you, there will be no Albion." Merlin's mouth opened then he shut it and glared at the dragon. There was no way!_

_"__No. No, you've got this wrong." He shook his head, denying it. There was no way that that prat was the person who would unite Albion! _

_"__There is no right or wrong, only what is and what isn't." Kilgharrah said wisely. _

_"__But I'm serious! If anyone wants to go and kill him, they can go ahead. In fact, I'll give them a hand." He cried out in anger, although he didn't really mean that he would, in fact, help the murderer. He wouldn't stoop to that level. _

_The dragon laughed. "None of us can choose our destiny, Merlin, and none of us can escape it."_

_"__No. No way. No. No. There must be another Arthur because this one's an idiot." Merlin said, somewhat pleadingly as he shook his head frantically. Almost like a dog getting water out of its hair. _

_"__Perhaps it's your destiny to change that." The dragon said, and lifted its wings and flew into the air. _

* * *

**_November 9, 2005 9:31_**

It was a bitter cold morning, so cold that it seemed more like winter and not autumn, when nineteen year old Myrddin "Merlin" Ambrosius stepped out onto the open field, his stormy blue eyes automatically scanning the open sky for threats. Merlin Ambrosius was a kind man, most would automatically assume that he was an open book with the way his blue eyes seemed to shine, and that he had no secrets, although at the same time, being a bit naïve and an idiot with his willingness to trust and give a second chance to practically anyone. In reality, while he was kind and compassionate and willing to give second chances, he was very loyal to those who were his greatest friends, while being very patient and diligent. However, to an even deeper level he was astute, clever and very cunning.

He would say that he was a part of the research of the military to anyone who asked, and that he was majoring in chemistry, world history and literature so that he could become a doctor (and he was), however, in reality, the main thing he did focus on was training to be an assassin.

This, along with the fact that he had something that was possibly called magic, was his greatest secret. The only person who knew that he was an assassin was his mother, Hunith. His father, Balinor, had died when he was about five, so while he had vague memories of the man, he did not remember him.

"Hey, Merlin," a familiar voice said and Merlin spun around and smiled at his best friend, William Turner. Will was the only person, other than his mother, his uncle Gaius, the old cougar, Mr. Kilgharrah, and a girl named Freya, that knew about his magic. In fact it was only by accident that he found out about Merlin having magic, Merlin's father, Balinor, had left him with a few magic books (Balinor had magic). So, Will had walked in on him when he had been practicing the spells, at the time that he was fourteen and his friend was fifteen.

"Yeah?" Merlin replied easily, kneeling and aiming at the target with his sniper. He pulled back on the trigger and hit it. He stood up and glanced at Will with a raised eyebrow, his friend chuckled slightly, shaking his head.

"I'll never understand ya, Merlin," Will muttered, his accent slipping in because of his bewilderment. "I mean, you don't to be an assassin to protect yourself from the bad people out there."

Merlin threw a smirk at his friend. "Ah, but who said I was going to be an assassin for myself? Although I have to admit that Nimueh and Morgause are rather… despicable." Both of them chuckled slightly before Will took out his gun and shot it rapid fire at the various targets. Merlin ducked instinctively as he swung the gun at him. Will shook his head and stuck it back in its holster.

"Well then, why didn't ya join the CIA or something like that?" Merlin raised an eyebrow at Will.

"Are you… interrogating me?" He asked feeling rather amused. Will chuckled and shook his head in denial. Merlin shrugged slightly. "Fight fire with fire, that's what they say. Plus, since the terror attacks, the Muslims have gotten cocky… and America has got a lot of enemies, and I know that there is _something _that I'm meant to do, but I just don't know what it is… yet." Merlin looked down at the rifle in his hands, remembering the dreams that he had almost every night now. When he had been younger he would dream of knights and kings and princesses and sorcerers, some good and some evil, every now and then, and as he got older his dreams would only get frequenter and more vivid. He had told his mother of them but both of them had decided that there was nothing to be done about them, plus Merlin enjoyed most of them although there were a few bad ones. "I know I'm meant to protect…" Will looked at him with a strange expression and Merlin laughed uneasily. "What? You asked me why I didn't join the CIA!"

Will laughed slightly and patted Merlin on the back. "Yeah, I did. Thanks Merlin!" He ran out of the indoor room and Merlin gaped after him.

"You didn't even practice, other than shooting around at _me_!" Merlin shouted at his friend's figure.

* * *

**_December 13, 2005 17:30_**

Merlin knocked nervously on the leader's office, Mr. Kilgharrah (yes, he was the old cougar that he had mentioned earlier) and heard the voice full of ancient wisdom say, "Come in." Merlin gulped but schooled his expression into one of neutral indifference, before pulling the knob and gently pushing open the door.

Kilgharrah was a man of about fifty, his hair a reddish-blond (strawberry blond, as Merlin had dubbed it when he was younger) color that reached his shoulders and his eyes a strange golden color, like whenever Merlin's turned whenever he did magic, just maybe a shade lighter. The man was a rather wily character, mysterious as well, and Merlin had thought for the longest time that he was self-centered, and he was a little. But he had learned that while Kilgharrah might have had hidden agendas, he was also trustworthy. Even if he had too much of a fondness for riddles, therefore making Merlin have to decrypt what he said… which was a lot. Although that also helped keep him on his toes, and he figured that he had the man to thank for getting him in the association when he was only seventeen.

"Ah, Young Warlock, you've come." An inside joke between the two of them was the word warlock; while Merlin had found it annoying at first he had come to respect it… a little. In return, he would call the man Old Cougar when they were alone, or giant overgrown cryptic lizard, don't ask about that, it was started because of a discussion on dragons and legends.

"Yes, sir," Merlin said easily, setting himself down on the couch and relaxing a bit. "Although I must admit that I'm rather curious as to why you have requested for me to come here… twelve days before Christmas." Merlin tapped his chin, raising an eyebrow. "In fact, I would have thought that you would be packing so that you could go and see Aithusa. I know I would be." Aithusa was Kilgharrah's ten year old niece, and the two of them were very close. Kilgharrah laughed slightly.

"Yes, Young Warlock," he replied with zeal, "I would be, but I need to give you this seeing as HQ will be closing in two days." The man then pushed a yellow envelope out and Merlin stood up curiously, walking over to the desk and picking it up, frowning at the giant bold red letters that said **CLASSIFIED **on it. Merlin, ever so curious, opened the letter and his eyes scanned the contents. His mouth dropped open and he started mouthing words while Kilgharrah's face took on a wry smirk.

"I-I'm not training anymore!" He said looking like he had been slapped. "I'm an Assassin, after only two years!" He gaped at Kilgharrah whose smirk was becoming more pronounced.

"Yes."

"But I didn't take any of the examinations!" Merlin said in a rather high pitched voice. Then he paused and his mouth slacked open. "_Oh_." He muttered. "That's it. That was why Will was interrogating me, he had a hidden recorder!" He smacked his head and muttered something in Latin, yes it was a dead language, but it was a code that he had used, and no one had figured out what it was until he told them.

"And that is why you're an assassin already, Merlin!" Kilgharrah said, rather smugly as well. "You're naturally astute, or perhaps a better word would be observant?" Merlin's eyebrow twitched and Kilgharrah smiled slightly before he pulled out a smaller envelope. "Open this with someone who knows that you're an assassin, only, or nobody at all, and tell your mother that I said hello."

Merlin smiled slightly and nodded. "Yes, Sir!" He said a bit sharply and put his envelope into his bag that was full of books (as usual, but it was also a cover for hiding knives and a gun). Kilgharrah handed him a badge and Merlin frowned as he looked at it.

_NPA_. _Agent_ _True_ _Soul_.

"It stands for National Protection Agency. It's so that you can get into the White House with weapons," Kilgharrah explained and Merlin looked at him in surprise. "Yes, assassins may have a bad reputation, but they're secretive and, most of them, are trustworthy, that's why no one has heard of NPA. I wasn't allowed to tell you until you passed, national security you know. Also, you have a code name."

Merlin paused and glanced at the badge, frowning as he reread the True Soul part of it. "True Soul?" He asked, rather surprised. "Why would I be called True Soul?"

Kilgharrah chuckled, a deep rumbling laugh. Merlin's eyebrow twitched as the strawberry blond haired man laughed and laughed, as if he had just said the most amusing thing he had ever heard. "Why would you be called True Soul?" Kilgharrah asked, still chuckling. "Merlin, that is because you are probably the most pure agent they've ever had. No one has ever had such pure intentions such as you. And you're definitely ambitious enough to achieve them."

Merlin blinked, and then rather intelligently said, "Oh."

* * *

_A woman walked into a great city. A boy looked up from the well that he was drawing water from and noticed her. He grinned._

_"__Mother?" He asked, not really believing his eyes. _

_ "__Merlin!" She said joyfully and went to hug him, but he then noticed her bruise._

_"__What happened?" He asked, his eyes darkening in concern and something else, anger."Who did this to you?!"_

* * *

**_December 25, 2005 18:37_**

The doorbell went off and Merlin, who had been balanced precautious on the chair with his hand reaching up to put the star of the Christmas tree back on, tumbled down, as only a natural could do, heads over heels. "Merlin!" His mother cried out in concern, obviously hearing the crash.

"I'm alright!" Merlin shouted back to ease her mind and stood right back up, glancing at the tree and glaring at the star that had fallen back onto the ground.

"That's good. Will you get the door?" She shouted back, sounding relieved. Merlin smiled slightly and crossed the room, his long legs taking him there in seconds. He paused and looked through the peephole, and smiled slightly as he saw that it was Gaius, Will and Will's sister, Freya. Freya was another person that knew that Merlin was an assassin, she had found out quite by accident and had been madder than a hornet, but unlike his best friend Merlin had told her about his magic willingly.

He didn't know why, but for some reason he had always trusted Freya and loved her… as he would a younger sister, of course… or at least he thought he did.

"Hello!" He said with an easy smile, opening the door. Freya returned it with one of her own special ones. "Mom's inside, although I think she's finishing with the dessert and the ham is still cooking." Freya grinned and stepped inside, kissing him on the cheek in a sisterly gesture. That didn't explain the feeling of euphoria or Will's rather annoyed expression. Gaius just smiled knowingly.

"Oh good," she said cheerfully, "I've got some gravy and a white cake, along with cookies and strawberries… and blueberries." She made a face at Merlin who stuck his tongue out at her in return, although he was secretly touched that she would bring his favorite berry along with her favorite, when he knew she hated them. Will followed her closely, along with Gaius.

"Mmm… blueberries…" Merlin said happily, and then he paused and stared at her in confusion, blueberries were out of season until June along with Strawberries. "Wait… where'd you get them?"

Freya smirked somewhat nefariously and walked over to him, her lovely purple and red dress swaying with the rhythm of her glide. "That's for me to know and you to find out." She said a tad teasingly. She stuck a berry into his mouth (blueberry) and sashayed away. Will mumbled something under his breath, sounding rather disgruntled. Merlin, on the other hand, chewed on the blueberry thoughtfully, his eyes not leaving her form.

"That's my sister you're looking at, Ambrosius!" Will said rather loudly and waved his hand in Merlin's face. Freya turned around and smiled that sweet smile of hers before walking into the kitchen. Merlin's eyes snapped to Will's wide brown ones, although they were narrowed slightly.

"Sorry, Will." He said rather sheepishly. "I just don't know what's gotten into me."

"Yeah, you're just realizing your true feelings for _my baby sister_." Will mumbled before he walked over to the tree and, leaning down, picked up the toppled chair and the star (which was an angel, much to Merlin's surprise, this year). He looked at Merlin, who was blushing beet red, and raised an eyebrow. "If you hurt her, by the way, then you will die. By the way, did you have _another _fit of clumsiness?" He asked in obvious disbelief. He shook his head slightly. "Honestly, Merlin, how are you even alive? Wait forget that, how are you still enrolled?"

Merlin grinned rather cheekily. "Because I'm a lucky charm!" Both of them snorted at the reference to the cereal and he stood onto the chair, agilely grabbing the star from his friend's hands and reaching up again.

"Merlin!" Will complained half heartedly, looking at him worriedly as he rested his hand on the chair. Merlin flashed a quick smile and leaned over, standing on his toes with nothing to support him and gently put the angel on the tree. The three men in the room held their breath for a few moments as the chair tipped rather precautious but then Merlin leaned back and the chair righted itself. He jumped off nimbly, grinning at Gaius and Will as he did so.

"Merlin, will you come over here for a moment?" Freya called out from the kitchen and Merlin nodded, even if she couldn't see him, and almost skipped to the kitchen were his mother was staring at something funnily. Merlin paused for a moment in confusion.

"There's a spider." Freya said suddenly, drawing his attention to her. She was putting icing onto the cake, white icing, while washing the berries and pouring the whip cream into a bowl, a streak of the whip cream on her face on her cheek. She was also smiling a little as well, her eyes narrowed in concentration at the bowl, bent over with her dress sleeves rolled up to her elbows (how, Merlin did not know, seeing as they looked like they were silk). In other words, she was simply stunning.

Merlin walked over to her and wiped the whip cream onto his pointer finger, licking it off quickly. Freya looked up and smiled at his childish tactics. "Get the spider, Merlin." She said lightly, putting her red and blue stained finger onto his nose. Merlin went cross eyed trying to keep it in view and she smiled slightly. "Please?"

Merlin chuckled and grabbed a dishcloth. "You don't need to use bribery, my lady," he said, making a show of bowing and she rolled her eyes. Then he turned to his mother, whose eyes were fixed on a certain spot. Merlin rolled his eyes good naturedly. Ever since he was a young boy his mother had been _terrified _of spiders, therefore leaving him to take care of the nasty things after his father had passed away, although he had thankfully not inherited his mother's rather irrational fear. The woman, who was practically afraid of nothing (in Merlin's opinion anyways, she had let him become an assassin… after the normal motherly concern), was terrified of little tiny spiders, although he had to admit that the big yellow and black ones were rather creepy looking.

Carefully, keeping the tiny spider in view, he pulled the cloth back and let it come down, along with his hand, and then he circumspectly walked outside to the little deck and let it loose. The spider's web went loose as it flew in the wind, and he wondered how they did that. Then he went back in and smiled at his mother who looked at him rather gratefully. "Danger's gone," he said with a small laugh, throwing the towel into the laundry basket.

"Thank you," Hunith said with a gentle smile. And then, with a not-so-gentle smile, she shoved a plate of mashed potatoes into his hands, which made Merlin gape at her, then at the soft, fluffy, potatoes rather hungrily. "Now, will you take those out onto the table and come back for more?"

Merlin sighed, looking dejectedly at the potatoes. Freya laughed, a sweet tinkering laugh that sounded like bells to his ears, and that, more than anything else, made him fight off the urge to attack the potatoes and put them on the dining room table.

* * *

**_December 25, 2005 21:57_**

Merlin was spread out by the fire, reading a book of spells and trying a few of them out, Will and Gaius were playing a game of chess, the later unsurprisingly winning although it was a rather close match, and Freya was lying next to him, with her head on his stomach and watching him send up sparks, fires, lights and shields and other kinds of spells while his mother read a book on poetry.

"_Leholt_." Merlin breathed and looked at his hand reverently as a shinning golden blue orb of light appeared out of it and lit up the room better than any light could. Hunith looked up from her book and smiled slightly at him while Gaius and Will looked up curiously from their chess match. Freya smiled slightly and lifted her hand and repeated what he had just said. A large red and purple, along with streaks of yellow, ball appeared, resting gently in her palm. She shot up and stared at it, her eyes widening to what should have been considered an impossible size (and it probably was). Merlin just smiled knowingly and sat up, closing the book while the other three occupants of the room turned to stare at Freya.

"I- how- how do I have magic?" Freya said, looking rather shaken up and the reddish-purple orb dissolved, although Merlin's own golden blue stayed up, even though he wasn't consciously trying to keep it going.

"I thought that you might," Merlin said, smiling gently at her and taking her hands, which were a bit clammy. She squeezed his back, as if she was holding a lifeline. "In my dreams, you were there, and you had magic," he added and she nodded, her expression clearing up a little.

"Well," Gaius suddenly said his voice rather cheerful which made Merlin start and look up at him curiously. "It's almost 10:15, and I need to get back before I fall asleep." Merlin shook his head and glanced at Freya, she smiled warmly at him, obviously forgetting her previous fright, or she knew that there was nothing to be frightened of (well, other than the mad scientists that they had once met who was always wanting to use 'things' like them, most of the time considering them like one would a rat for experimentation).

"Then, I can take you there, Gaius. That way you're safe." Merlin offered, stormy eyes shining. Gaius chuckled and shook his head, already denying Merlin's offer. Merlin sighed, knowing that he had lost against his uncle.

"That's alright, Merlin. I'll be fine. It's only a five minute drive."

Merlin's eyes lightened as he realized what the older man said and an evil thought echoed in his mind, and probably in his eyes as well, as he realized that there might be one battle that he could beat his Uncle at yet. "Exactly!" He said cheerfully, although there was a hint of sarcasm and glee hidden under that cheerful tone. "And that's plenty of time for someone to abduct you. So c'mon, Gaius, I'm going with you." And he stood, took the elder's arm and practically frog marched him out, if you could do that with only one person that is.

Will blinked and turned to Hunith, who was wearing a tiny smirk. He shivered, although now he knew were Merlin's smirks came from (although he did not wear them often, but when he did though, he was scary).

~...~

"So, how is your second term going?" Gaius asked casually as Merlin turned left into a better lit area. Merlin coughed for a moment, knowing that he couldn't lie to the person who was practically his father.

"Pretty good," Merlin replied, perhaps a bit too casually although Gaius didn't really notice. "Although it was a little boring at first," that was true, at least, and he _was_ taking classes to be a doctor. Rather funny, he was training to be an assassin, okay, so he was an assassin now, yet at the same time in his 'not secret deadly life' he was a doctor. He took lives and yet he saved them. "Any new patients?" He added, skillfully redirecting the subject.

"Hmm? Oh yes, there's a few, a Mr. Jackson and Pennington while there's a Ms. Creevy and Mrs. Anderson." Gaius replied conversationally, Merlin smiled slightly and turned right onto _51__st__ street_. "Anyways, have you heard what President Pendragon has done?"

Merlin snorted, of course he had. "Uther? Of course. It so stupid! He practically told Bin Laden his plan, while airing it out to the public, although there could be a reason behind that. But, _but_, what is it? Now Laden knows that the President is after him, along with China, Russia and most of Europe, and will therefore have time to assemble _his _army and _his_ nuclear weapons! The two rules of war are overwhelming forces and surprise!" Merlin banged his face against the steering wheel and the hit the horn, by accident. Quickly, he sat back up and looked at the road, his eyebrow twitching slightly.

Gaius chuckled slightly as Merlin smoothly turned onto his street, _Moonstone Street. _"Uther would have to have a motive to reveal his plans, maybe they are false. We don't know the president's mind, and we can do nothing about it." Merlin sighed and pressed on the break, stopping in front of Gaius's small house (782). Gaius smiled and patted Merlin on the shoulder. "Thank you, Merlin. And be sure not stay up past midnight." Merlin grinned slightly, in wry amusement and watched the older man get out of the car with hawk eyes. Gaius raised an eyebrow at Merlin who smiled sheepishly and looked down.

"Be careful, Gaius." Merlin said softly and looked up suddenly, a grin working its way onto his face. Gaius chuckled and walked onto the porch and took out a key.

"_You _be careful, my boy."

* * *

_He approached the brown haired man, who stared into the distance contemplating. "He knows what he's doing. You've got to trust him. Look, when I first met Arthur, I was exactly like you. I hated him. I thought he was pompous and arrogant." He said softly, almost pleadingly. _

_The older righted a stand that had a chainmail shirt and tabard on it. "Well, nothing's changed there, then." He said angrily. _

_The younger nodded, "But, in time, I came to respect him for what he stands for, what he does." He said simply, only stating a fact. _

_"__Yeah, I know what he stands for: princes, kings, all men like him."_

_"__Will, don't bring what happened to your father into this." He said to the older, sighing slightly. _

_"__I'm not. Why are you defending him so much? You're just his servant." Will turned around and gazed at him, his eyes questioning._

_"__He's also my friend." He said firmly. _

_"__Friends don't lord it over one another." Will snorted. _

_"__He isn't like that." He said, defending 'Arthur'._

_"__Really? Well, let's wait until the fighting begins and see who he sends in to die first. I guarantee you, it won't be him." Will glared at the ground. The other frowned at him. _

_"__I trust Arthur with my life."_

_"__Is that so? So he knows your secret, then? Look, face it, Merlin You're living a lie. Just like you were here. You're Arthur's servant, nothing more. Otherwise you'd tell him the truth." Merlin sighed and watched Will step away, wondering if he was right… or wrong._

* * *

**Author's Note: **Woah. That ended up being longer then I expected, and I _still _haven't gotten to the part when he meets Arthur. -_- So, this was supposed to be a oneshot. Ha, it was supposed to be 3000 or so words, with just Merlin, Arthur and Nimueh. *Snorts* Look at how well that turned out.


	2. Chapter 2

_The Unexpected Assassin: Chapter Two_

**_December 26, 2005 11:38_**

Merlin's eyes shot open as he laid unmoving, he glanced at Will and Freya and rubbed the base of his head rather sheepishly as he realized that the three of them must have fallen asleep while they had stayed up talking. He sat up, the blanket gently falling off of his shoulders and stretched his arms out, yawning widely and automatically looking around for his mother. He heard someone out in the kitchen and he smiled slightly. He quickly got onto his feet and walked over there and peaked around the corner and his smile widened when he saw his mother who was cleaning the dishes.

"Can I help?" He asked as he walked in. Hunith spun around, her mouth opening slightly in surprise before she realized who it was and relaxed. She smiled at him warmly and shook her head.

"Sorry, Merlin, but I have nothing for you to do. I've almost finished with the dishes and Will and Freya aren't up yet so I can't make breakfast." Merlin grinned sheepishly and looked down at his folded hands. Hunith chuckled and placed the last dish in the cupboard before she walked over to Merlin. "What am I going to do with you?" She wondered, her voice fond. Merlin shrugged, smiling a bit impishly. "Is there any other presents that you forgot to unwrap by any chance? Because your star fell off again…" she trailed off.

"No, I don't think…" Merlin trailed off, as he went slack jawed, with his eyes becoming glassy as he reached down and grabbed at something invisible. Hunith looked at him in concern, but then he looked up, his eyes brightening. "Actually, yeah there is! Let me get it." And then he scampered off, disappearing into his room before returning with _the bag_.

"Merlin?"

Merlin was pulling out paper after paper and a few books and yellow envelopes. He looked up and grinned before dumping the rest of the contents of the bag onto the kitchen table. A gun, two books, four or five knives, Sharpie markers, pens and pencils and a rather large envelope spilled out. Hunith sent him a withering glare and he blushed before grabbed the gun and the more deadly knives and put them back into the bag. "Sorry," he said, rubbing the back of his head. He opened a yellow envelope and glanced at its contents before putting it back in the bag. "Kilgharrah gave me an envelope; he said not to open it around people who don't know I'm an assassin." He explained. Hunith nodded and studied the golden covers. She pointed at a rather small one with a bold red **CLASSIFIED **on it and Merlin paused and stared at it before he reached for it and opened it.

_Agent True Soul_

_Your mission is to go to Avalon University on 1/7/06 and report your findings. Suspicious characters are lurking around there, and are possibly dangerous. Do not let anything get into your way, not even the civilians. Kill if necessary. _

_NPA_

Merlin raised an eyebrow, looking at it curiously. "Rather short," he remarked looking at it thoughtfully, keeping his mind off of the order of 'killing if necessary', although he noticed that his mother had flinched slightly. He wondered if he should have opened it when he was alone, in his room. Then he paused when he saw a _P.S. _written on the bottom.

_Be careful. _

Merlin glared at it. "Bloody cryptic giant lizard…" he growled. Hunith looked at him in amusement and he rubbed his head. "Why would Kilgharrah tell me to be careful? It sounds pretty… normal." He was surprised, although not unpleasantly so. At least he wouldn't be jumping into head on danger. Probably. Suddenly sounds of arguing came from the family room and Merlin sighed in exasperation. "Can they _not_ argue for once?" He mumbled under his breath, Hunith shook her head, smiling in amusement as Merlin stood up and stalked into the other room.

Both siblings stopped what they were doing (which was bickering), and turned to look at Merlin, cowering slightly at the glower he gave them. Merlin bit back the smile and focused on the exasperation, which was an easier target then his amusement anyways. "Now," he seethed. "Will you tell me _why _you two _cannot_ behave your age? You almost, _almost _broke your record for not arguing." He almost literately growled out the last sentence and his eyebrow twitched. Will and Freya cowered completely as Merlin stood looming above them with his arms crossed.

"Sorry, Merlin…" Will said in a tiny squeaky voice. Merlin rolled his eyes but he felt his lips twitch. It really was hard to stay mad at them once Will did the mouse-y voice. Which he _adored_. No matter how strange, or girly, that sounded, he adored Will's squeaky voice. It was almost always funny whenever he got scared, almost. The only exception was whenever that something was a threat, a threat to his country, or to his loved ones.

**_December 26, 2005 12:32_**

Merlin smiled in content, as he stepped outside and leaned over the railing. Nothing was wrong, and he was with the people that he loved the most. Soft footfalls suddenly aroused him from his thoughts and he looked over his shoulder and smiled at her.

"I can never surprise you anymore." She said softly and a tiny bit sadly, although proudly as well.

"You know you can't." He responded jovially. She grinned.

"What am I going to do with you?" She tilted her head and he chuckled.

"I honestly have no idea," She said cheerfully, wrapping her arms around herself. Merlin looked at her and shrugged off his outer coat and handed it to her. She smiled at him gratefully and slipped her arms through the sleeves. It was his favorite one, he noticed, the brown one. Flashes of another time flashed through his mind.

_"__Here." He held out a jacket, she shrank back, her eyes reflecting her fear in the firelight. _

_"__Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I just thought you might be cold." He said abashedly. _

_"__Why did you do that?" She asked confusion, fear and some other unnamable emotion was clear in her voice. _

_"__Do what?" He said, obviously confused. _

_"__Help me."_

_"__Well, I saw you and… it could've been me in that cage. You'll be safe down here. I'll come back in the morning with some food and candles. Will you be alright until then?" She nodded and he shifted, feeling slightly awkward. "I'm Merlin, by the way." _

_"__I'm Freya." _

_"__Freya." He said, tasting her name on his tongue. He smiled slightly and handed her his jacket. She accepted it, a hint of confusion still in her eyes, but she was not as afraid anymore. "I'll see you in the morning, Freya." He added._

_She smiled slightly. "Thank you." _

_He nodded, accepting her thanks. _

"Merlin!?"' A different voice, but similar at the same time, this one was more confident and not as afraid, jarred him back into reality. Freya looked at him in concern and he smiled at her in slight confusion. "Are you having daydreams again?" She asked although her eyes were compassionate. He nodded and rubbed the back of his head.

"They're just getting more frequent." He admitted with a sigh. She tilted her head and he held out his hand. She took it without hesitation and stepped up to him, leaning over the wall rather precariously. Merlin wrapped his arm around her waist from behind her and she smiled at him, twisting around slightly, her eyes full of trust and love. He returned it.

"You can look at this, if you like." He offered and handed her the assignment paper. She looked at him and scanned the contents.

Freya suddenly got a funny look, and Merlin looked at her, suddenly suspicious. "Merlin…" she said, turning to him, her expression turning even queerer. "Does your message say _Avalon _University?" Merlin instantly knew where this was going, and resigned himself to a long argument that he was probably going to lose anyway.

"Yes…" He admitted with a sigh, and watched warily as stars shinned in his best _friend_'s eyes. He gulped, but he was going to give it his best shot.

"Merlin…" she said in a rather singsong voice. "You have _got_ to take me with you!" Her eyes turned revolutionary and Merlin knew that he was probably done for. "I've heard that they've got some of the _best _writing and literature courses, and you _know _how much I love those, and I want to be an author!" Merlin flinched, oh yes he knew, from all the times that she had rambled to him her ideas (some of them bordering sadistic, some crazy, and some just plain cheesy) from since they were a young age.

"No. You're not even out of High School yet, Freya!" Merlin said, gently, but firmly, and he turned her around, making her face him, removed his hands from her waist and placed his hands on her shoulders, knowing that _that _little fact wouldn't stop her. She could have probably graduated at sixteen like Merlin and Will had, but she had elected to stay in the school, when he had asked her why she had said something about 'being the rock that kept them all stable'. She was right about that though, she was _his _rock wall, and he had no idea what he would do without her, because he had no purpose other than keeping her safe, and away from the horrors of the world. That was one of the reasons that he had joined the _NPA_ after all.

"So? I can say that it's credit, and still keep up with the work. It's so _easy_ to understand." She rolled her eyes and Merlin smiled somewhat nervously.

"It could be dangerous." He said feebly. She glared at him and whacked him with the previously forgotten envelope.

"And when has that stopped me?" She crossed her arms and Merlin felt a wry smirk cross his face. Danger really never had stopped her, after all she had _stormed _though the NPA training center once before and shouted at Merlin. And then she got complimented by several officers after that. "What's with the face?" She added, crossing her arms and scowling at him, her eyes flashing with deadly anger.

_She's so _gorgeous _when she's angry. _

"Nothing," Merlin said, smiling slightly at her. "I'm just remembering how you stormed through training once."

Freya smirked slightly. "Yeah, I remember that too. I was so angry that you didn't tell me that you became an assassin _before_ and let me find out on my own." Merlin twisted his face slightly, he had never figured out how she realized that he was an assassin, or where training was.

"How _did _you find out?"

"Simple, you let your bag in the open… and there was stuff spilling out of it." She blushed slightly, and Merlin wondered what it was that she had found. "Now stop trying to change the subject, mister, and let me come. I'll go with you anyways, but I figured if I traveled with you the plane ticket would be cheaper."

Merlin smiled at her sardonically. "There's no way that I can convince you otherwise, is there, Freya?" He asked resignedly. Freya grinned, knowing that she had won.

"Nope, besides if you take me with you then I _promise _I won't bother you. Please, please, _please_, Merlin? I'll love you forever and 'ever!" She wrapped her arms around his neck, emphasizing her point. Merlin felt his face flush slightly as he suddenly realizing how close they were.

"You're going to be the death of me." He complained finally, although good naturedly. "You know that, Freya?" She grinned and tucked her head under his chin. He wrapped his arms around her waist, relaxing against her.

"I know," she said softly. "But thank you, Merlin."

**_January 7, 2006 13:53_**

Merlin sighed and settled into his seat, placing his ankle on his knee and opening a book on medicine and began to skim the table of contents and the index*. Freya looked over his shoulder and out the window. He looked up and smiled at her, she didn't notice it though. Her eyes were fixated on the window. "I feel like a bird," she confessed and leaned back. Merlin looked at her curiously.

"Ironic thing to say, seeing as I'm named after one." He said with a smile. Freya hit him in the shoulder, her eyes flashing with amusement.

"You're also named after a crazy man and a warlock. I'm named after a Greek goddess." She shot back; both of them looked at each other and laughed. The middle-aged woman looked at them with a smile.

"Are you two siblings?" She asked, smiling at them. Merlin returned it.

"No," he said easily. "We're just friends traveling back to the university after our break." Freya shook her head, somewhat in despair.

"Really? What do you major in?" The woman said, sounding interested. Merlin stared at her, his brows knitting slightly. The woman was giving him a sense of déjà-vu, although why he did not know. Freya tilted her head, and smiled at the woman lightly.

"I'm majoring in English writing and literature." She said and glanced at Merlin, it was clear that he wasn't going to respond, seeing as he was lost in his own fault. She frowned in concern then shook her head. "Sorry about him, he's scatterbrained. He's majoring in chemistry, literature and world history."

The woman smiled in sympathy. "He must be very smart, both of you. What are your names?" She tilted her head. It was starting to sound more like an interrogation… alarm bells went off in Freya's head.

"I'm Vivienne." She said, not pausing, and landing on the first name that came into her mind. "He's Emrys." The woman's eyebrows shot up and Freya cast her mind out for a reason to explain. _Get out of that daydream, Merlin! _"Don't ask me why we're named after two characters from the Arthurian Legends," she began to babble. "Honestly, it was horrible. We were teased in school a lot because of it, but I guess our parent's have a strange sense of humor." She shrugged, smiling shyly to hide her worry. She pinched Merlin, and his eyes cleared.

"I'm Nimueh," the woman-Nimueh- said cheerfully. Merlin's expression went blank and Freya knew that _that_ was a bad sign. "So I suppose my parents had a strange sense of humor as well. Do you have any siblings?"

Merlin's eyes went sharp and she bit her lip. "Yeah, I have one. Emrys doesn't though, right, Emrys?" She jabbed him in the side and smiled at him. He nodded, smiling at the woman although it did not reach his eyes.

"Oh poor dear," Nimueh said sympathetically, not sounding sympathetic at all. "Did your father abandon you?"

Merlin stood up abruptly. "No, ma'am," he said, his tone clipped and short. "I'm going to ask the steward for some food." He said, and smiled at her, although his eyes were hard. "Want to come, Vivienne?" _You are a sneaky man, Merlin, pretending to be daydreaming like that. _She thought and took his offered hand.

"Sure," she said gaily. "I'll see you in a few, Ms. Nimueh." She put her book on the seat and smiled at the frustrated woman.

As soon as they were out of Nimueh's earshot, Freya whispered in his ear, "Merlin, who is she?" Merlin was clearly on high alert, as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"An enemy." He breathed in her ear. Freya nodded and giggled as she felt Nimueh's eyes on her back.

"Oh, Emrys, that's so sweet!" She cooed, and he smiled at her. She looked around, then whispered in a lower tone, "What are we going to do?"

"Can I have a few pretzels?" Merlin asked politely, looking at the steward pointedly. The woman's eyes widened and she handed him two bags. Merlin smiled at her and turned back, a slight blush coloring his cheeks appropriately. "Pretend that we don't suspect." He breathed in her ear and pushed her hair behind it, and pressed his lips to her temple.

They both walked to Nimueh and sat down, Merlin with a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry," he said apologetically. "I don't really like to talk about my father. He died when I was about ten and I was close to him, so it's a touchy subject." He explained and smiled at Nimueh. Nimueh returned it, with a gentle smile of her own, although it didn't reach her eyes.

"That's alright. My mother left me when I was quite young myself, and I lost my son and daughter when one was only a few years old and the other a few months." She sighed, her eyes glazing over slightly. "My little monsters, that's what I used to call them."

Merlin felt a pang of sympathy for the woman, even if she was an enemy. "I'm sure they're safe, wherever they are." He said soothingly. Nimueh's eyes flashed to Freya's face, who was watching them, her expression compassionate, although there was a sharp undertone to it, and Merlin knew she was on high alert as well.

"I am sure they are." She said and closed her eyes, almost instantly falling asleep. Merlin looked at Freya, who shrugged and he dipped his hand into his bag and pulled out a sketchpad and a pencil and wrote an order on it. _Sketch her. _He handed the pad to Freya, who read it and nodded, before she ripped the paper out and tore it into shreds and began to avidly sketch the middle aged woman.

~…~

_It was nighttime, and he sat by a campfire with a middle-aged woman who had kind blue eyes and brown hair, the others slept_

_"__They shouldn't be here. Especially the Lady Morgana. Isn't she the King's ward?" The woman asked gently, although curious. _

_He nodded. "Not that you'd know it. She's the only person I know who isn't frightened of him."_

_"__It won't make any difference to Kanen that they're women." The woman said softly._

_"__I know. But I couldn't talk them out of coming." He looked at the healing bruise on his woman's face, and a surge of anger rose in him._

_ "__I want to make him pay for what he did to you." He muttered lowly, almost to himself. _

_"__Promise me you'll be careful. No one can find out about you." She said, sounding worried. He smiled at her sadly._

_"__They won't. They never do."_

_"__Get some rest." She sighed and went to lie down. He took a burning stick from the fire and blew some flecks into the air._

_"__Draca." He breathed. The glowing flecks take the shape of a dragon. Unnoticed by him, the woman smiled._

~…~

**_January 7, 2006 15:21_**

Merlin let out a sigh of relief as they finally got off the plane. Freya relaxed next to him and both of them walked to the baggage claim. "The old cougar said that there would be someone that we know would be here." Merlin stated thoughtfully, looking around. Freya nodded and grabbed her own suitcase.

"I wonder who it is…" she said. Suddenly Nimueh was at their sides and Merlin traded a glance with Freya.

"Emrys," Nimueh said urgently. "I need to tell you something, _alone_." Merlin was instantly suspicious, but he smiled reassuringly at Freya, whose eyes were darting between him and Nimueh.

"I'll be right back, get my baggage if you can." He said with a smile. Freya looked at him worriedly but returned it. Merlin followed Nimueh into a quieter corridor.

The woman instantly turned on him, her eyes blazing gold. Merlin ducked the jet of red light and pulled out his gun. Nimueh glared at him. "I knew it!" She growled. "You're one of _them_."

Merlin lifted his chin. "Why are you doing this, Nimueh?"

A spell ricocheted and zipped past him. Nimueh's eyes flared gold before they went back to her original blue and were flashing in anger, annoyance, and some other emotion that Merlin knew but couldn't identify. "Because, _Uther_ and the NPA destroyed my life, they betrayed me! I did nothing wrong! They took my children, my oldest was barely four, and my daughter was only eight months!" Her voice was full of raw pain. She leveled her gaze on him.

"Vengeance?" Merlin asked, knowing that his face was twisting in disgust. "Why don't you change them, then?"

Nimueh smirked. "You know nothing!" She shouted, and cast a spell at him. Merlin dodged it. "You've never had anything taken from you! _Never_!"

Merlin looked at her. "You're wrong," he said quietly, his mind going back to his dreams. "I lost my best friend, my love, my father, my sisters, my brothers… and my other half." He shook his head, dragging himself back into the present.

"That was in that other life, Merlin!" Nimueh shouted, enraged. "You have a chance to change it this time! I don't!"

Merlin stared at her. "What do you mean?" He whispered. "There's a… reason? That I have these dreams?"

Nimueh stared at him, before she began to smile viciously. "Oh, _this_ is too good. You don't remember it, then?" She laughed, and then looked at him solemnly. "I'll let you go this time, Merlin, but next time, I won't. Just… take care of Freya. Whatever you do, make sure that she lives."

Merlin stared at her, his mouth opening slightly. Nimueh rolled her eyes and sauntered away, Merlin stared at her. "Wait!" He shouted. Nimueh turned around and raised an eyebrow. "You'll lose yourself if you keep up this mad race of revenge and blood. This circle for the thirst of blood and the need for vengeance won't stop, not unless _we_ put an end to it."

Nimueh looked at him thoughtfully, and a tad sadly. "It won't end, not until the time of the Once and Future King comes. Besides, I've already crossed the line, Merlin. Thank you though, for offering." An expression of doubt crossed her face.

Merlin looked at her in frustration as she disappeared.

**_January 7, 2006 15:33_**

Merlin walked back to the baggage claim and smiled at Freya tiredly, who looked back at him in relief. "What did she want?" She asked gently. Merlin paused and rubbed the back of his head, looking at the corridor thoughtfully.

"She wanted… to warn me." Merlin muttered. Freya looked at him in surprise. "And… I think I just found out her motive." He added.

"Mate!" Someone shouted. Merlin and Freya spun around. Merlin stared at the familiar face and felt a grin stretch its way onto his face.

"Gwaine!" He shouted. Gwaine grinned and walked closer to Merlin. "You are still using British words?" He added, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. Gwaine chuckled.

"It's better than saying 'friend!'" Gwaine defended himself. Merlin laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Good to see you too, Gwaine." Gwaine smiled at him, and then looked at Freya, clearly not recognizing her. "This is Freya, Gwaine." Merlin added. Gwaine's mouth opened.

"You're the one who stormed HQ!" Gwaine said and he grinned. "You're a pretty lass, and feisty too. A princess, if the rumors are-"

"Gwaine." Merlin said, not amused. In fact he was rather annoyed. Gwaine looked at him and his smiled became mischievous.

"_Ah_, so she's already taken!" He said, wisely. Merlin crossed his arms and Freya facepalmed. Gwaine then wisely dropped the subject and grabbed Freya's baggage. "Well, Avalon should be more exciting now that you're here," Gwaine said cheerfully.

"Oh yeah!" Merlin said suddenly, and took out the sketch of Nimueh that Freya made and handed it to Gwaine. "She's here."

Gwaine's eyes widened and Merlin nodded. He shifted his weight onto one foot, resting his hip on the wall. "When I said more exciting, I didn't know that you would bring the most deadly person here." He shook his head, his face unreadable. Merlin winced and Gwaine looked at him, his eyes glittering with determination. He balled his right fist and it collided with his left hand. "Well then, I suppose that you can't change that, or help it." He said and tossed his hair. Merlin cracked a smile and picked up his bag.

"Yep, you got that right... ready to go, Gwaine?"

Gwaine chuckled and saluted. "Definitely."

~…~

_He entered the tunnels with a torch and a care package and noticed that there was a girl sleeping. _

_"__Freya?" He whispered. He touched her shoulder, ignoring the jolt. She woke and shrank away from him, wavy black tresses covering her lovely brown eyes. "It's all right. It's okay. It's me. It's Merlin. And look..." He said gently, and showed her what he took. She stared at it then stuffed the food in her mouth as he set up the candles._

_"__It's good." She said, speaking up for the first time. He looked up and smiled. _

_"__Believe me, its fit for a prince." He said laughing slight and lit the candles with magic. Then he saw a tattoo on her arm. "Is that a druid symbol?" He asked curiously. She nodded. "Were you born a druid?"_

_"__Why are you asking me all these questions?" She didn't sound angry._

_"__Sorry, I didn't mean to." He apologized. _

_She bit her lip. "I'm sorry."_

_"__I understand." _

_"__You could never understand." She said harshly. _

_"__I know what it's like to keep secrets." He said, ignoring her tone. She looked at him curiously. _

_"__Does anyone know you have magic?"_

_"__Only you. And one other person. He knows, but I'm not sure he understands." He sighed. _

_"__I wish I was like everyone else, but..." She trailed off, and he picked up the line._

_"__You always know, deep down, you're not?"_

_"__Because I'm cursed." She murmured quietly, to herself. He heard her. _

_"__Freya, don't say that. Magic doesn't have to be a curse. It can be a gift. Look. _Hoppaþ nu swicae swá lig flíehen."

_Candles floated around them in the air, and he smiled softly to himself. She watched them in awe._

_"__Beautiful." She breathed. He smiled, knowing that his goal was accomplished. _

_He suddenly felt nervous. "I have to go. Erm, someone might notice I'm missing. But I-I'll come back and bring you some more food. I promise." _

_~…~_

**_Unknown Date_**

A pen met paper, and neat cursive appeared.

_Nimueh: _

_Hair: Black with curly tresses.  
Eye color: Icy Blue  
Height: 5'6  
Age: 45-50  
Motives: Vengeance for her children, because she was betrayed.  
Other Information: Had two children taken from her, one was four years the other six months. Might be having doubts… gave a warning, about not letting anyone hurt traveling civilian. _

The pen stopped for a moment, then: _Kilgharrah, you _better_ explain to me what she meant by 'other life'. _

The paper folded by itself and went into an envelope, to be opened by the man, his name was Kilgharrah, but he was no ordinary man.

…

The roar of a dragon echoed in the Earth.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I'm splitting up this chapter and the last. Oh and Ch. 3 is almost done (1500 more words to go, roughly) so expect it soon.


	3. Chapter 3

The Unexpected Assassin: Chapter Three

_January 13, 2006 20:49_

Merlin bit his lip and glanced at Freya, who was finishing the last bit of her homework. She sat back with a sigh and Gwaine raised an eyebrow at her. Merlin chuckled and stretched. "So," he said casually, "you think that a blond prat is the person causing the disturbances?" He tilted his head at the rogue, who sat back with his hands above his head and his eyes closed. Freya opened her book, rolling her eyes, and promptly buried her nose in it, like always.

"Yep, have you even seen Arthur Morningdove? He's a bully!" Gwaine growled out and he opened his eyes. His arms lifted to the air and he waved his hands in the air as if to prove his point; Merlin raised an eyebrow at him, utterly nonplussed. Gwaine paused and lowered his hands, blushing slightly. "Arthur is the blond prat," he explained, "And he's a bully. A quiet one who ignores _everyone_! He doesn't even talk! He just brushes everyone off, as if he was the president's son or something."

Merlin blinked, and then raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't sound like a bully, _Ga_wain," He stressed Gwaine's name deliberately. "A bully is someone who goes tyrannize over those who are smaller or weaker. In fact, he sounds the opposite. He might be quiet, but he's not a bully, perhaps he's just… antisocial?" Gwaine stared at him, before he snorted and Merlin allowed a small relaxed smile spread across his face. "See? Besides, President Pendragon only has a daughter, no sons."

Gwaine rolled his eyes. "I still think he's a prat." He complained halfheartedly. Merlin chuckled. "Your determination to see the good in people will one day get you killed…" Gwaine added with a soft sigh. Merlin began to open his mouth to speak but Gwaine held up his hand, the universal sign for stop, and Merlin closed his mouth and tilted his head. "But," Gwaine continued on, "I envy that ability." Merlin blinked in confusion. "You're able to see the goodness in people who most can't, and so you might be able to save someone. To give a second chance. That's what makes you different from all the other assassins, Merlin." Merlin tilted his head, there almost seemed to be a second meaning behind Gwaien's unexpected words. His mind flashed to Nimueh before he banished the thought.

"Okay…?" His voice betrayed his uncertainty and Gwaine shook his head furiously.

"No, no. I worded that wrong. You are able to see the _good _in people that most assassins can't." Gwaine stared at him, his gaze level and firm. Merlin found that he couldn't look away, whatever Gwaine was saying, it was important. And if there was one thing that Merlin knew about his friend, it was that he was observant under the drunken layer. That was what made him a good assassin. No one suspected that he was one. "You will hesitate to take a shot," Gwaine said softly, "if there is a possibility that the person might be good. The NPA likes to think that we are dogs on leashes, but you are the one that can escape." He paused and looked at Merlin seriously. "Don't lose that, because if you do, then we are all doomed."

Merlin gulped, he had never seen Gwaine so serious, and he could grasp that his friend knew something. It was something that could get them all killed, and it was secret. There was something that the NPA was hiding. "Gwaine… what's going on?" He asked in confusion. "What is involved with all of this?"

Gwaine paused and glanced up and Merlin followed his gaze discreetly, and noticed that there was a lens in the wall. _A camera. _Merlin swallowed back bile as he realized that he was being _spied _on. But he had done nothing wrong, so why was he being spied on? Unless they wanted to see how loyal a dog he was to his master. _Uther, _he realized. _It must be him… but why would he be messing with state affairs that has nothing to do directly with the safety of the country? _He began to really wonder what he had gotten himself into. Oh, he knew that his line of duty was dirty and dangerous, but to have someone, the president, spy on you, that was some matter entirely different.

"Well," Gwaine said cheerily, standing up and stretching, as if they had never talked about anything serious. "I best be going. It's getting late and I'd like to be up _before _noon." He grinned roguishly. "Good night, Princess Freya."

She looked up, startled, from the book she was reading and Merlin hid a fond smile. She was always obvious to her surroundings when she was reading. "Huh? You're leaving already, Gwaine? But you just got here about ten…" she trailed off; gaping at the clock and Merlin couldn't help but chuckled. "Woah. Three hours went quick."

Gwaine ruffled her hair and she glared at him. "Feisty one," Gwaine said cheerfully, "I like that." Merlin glared at him and Gwaine smirked, as if something had been cleared up in his mind. "See you two later!"

Merlin sighed, "See you, Gwaine." He murmured quietly, almost to himself. Freya looked at him, as if realizing that there was something on his mind. "I'll tell you later." He added and pulled a cheeky grin. Gwaine smiled and turned on his heel before marching out, to leave the two of them to stare at him. Merlin blinked and Freya leaned back on her elbows.

"So, it _isn't _just you."

Merlin stared at her in bewilderment. "What?" He asked. Freya chuckled and stretched her legs and arms out, her back rippling as she did so. Merlin focused on her face.

"It doesn't matter," she said gently. "I was just wondering about something for a while." She paused and glanced at the clock, who's hand was inching ever closer to the eleven. "We really should get to bed," she added. "We've got classes to go to and we _don't _want to be late." Merlin smiled and stood, offering a hand. She took it and he pulled her to her feet, blushing slightly as he realized that there was only a few inches of space between them. She seemed to notice it for she smiled mischievously and leaned up to peck his nose before stepping back. "Good night, Merlin." She whispered and turned around before she sauntered to her room. Merlin stared at her form and smiled slightly before turning around and following her footsteps in the opposite direction.

* * *

_Merlin crossed the drawbridge gate into the training grounds, where he saw someone bullying a serving boy. "Where's the target?" The gang behind the blond laughed._

_"__There, Sir?" The serving boy asked, sounding timid. _

_"__It's into the sun?" The blond asked with a lazy smile._

_"__But, it's not that bright."_

_"__A bit like you, then?" The blond said smirking, the knights behind him laugh. _

_"__I'll put the target on the other end, shall I, Sir?" The serving boy began to carry the target toward the wall, but then one of the knights spoke up. _

_"__Teach him a lesson. Go on, boy."_

_"__This'll teach him." The blond said, holding up a dagger. _

_The second knight agreed, while the first laughed. "Ha-ha. Teach him a lesson." The blond threw a dagger at the target. Merlin frowned. _

_"__Hey! Hang on!"_

_"__Don't stop!"Morris took a few steps back._

_"__Here" A girl appears in an upper window and she shakes a curtain out._

_The blond scowled. "I told you to keep moving!" He threw another dagger. "Come on! Run!" The serving boy shuffled his feet along trying to carry the large target as the blond threw more daggers."Do you want some moving target practice?"Morris finally dropped the target and it rolled to Merlin's feet. Merlin put one of his feet on it so Morris can't pick it up._

_"__Hey, come on, that's enough." He said, his eyes blazing._

_Arthur drew back, his expression surprised. "What?"_

_"__You've had your fun, my friend."Merlin rephrased what he had said. Arthur tilted his head, his expression strangely curious._

_"__Do I know you?"_

_Merlin looked down, then back up, sheepishly. "Er, I'm Merlin." He held out a hand._

_The blond ignored the hand."So, I don't know you."_

_Merlin scowled. "No."_

_The blond nodded knowingly. "Yet you called me 'friend.'" _

_Merlin looked frustrated. "That was my mistake."_

_The blond nodded. "Yes, I think so."_

_Merlin smirked slightly. "Yeah. I'd never have a friend who could be such an ass." Merlin turned around and started to walk away. _

_The blond scoffed. "Or I one who could be so stupid." Merlin stopped walking. "Tell me, Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?" _

_Merlin turned around. "No."_

_"__Would you like me to help you?"_

_"__I wouldn't if I were you." Merlin shook his head._

_The blond chuckled. "Why? What are you going to do to me?"_

_Merlin smiled, looking satisfied. "You have no idea."_

_"__Be my guest! Come on! Come on! Come oooooon" He said, opening his arms wide. Merlin took a swing at him, but Arthur twisted Merlin's arm behind his back. The girl in the window cringed, obviously surprised. "I'll have you thrown in jail for that." _

_Merlin tried to look at him furiously. "What, who do you think you are? The King?"_

_"__No. I'm his son, _Ar_thur." He strained the first syllable of his name and took Merlin out at the knees._

* * *

_January 24, 2006 13:35_

Merlin sighed and rubbed the back of his neck before following Freya, who was walking ahead of him, her stride determined. _She's really angry, _he thought gloomily. _I wonder why… _Freya suddenly turned around and marched over to him. He blinked and began to back away at her angry expression but she just walked past him, almost completely ignoring him, or at least that was what he thought until she reached out and grabbed the front of his shirt.

"Merlin," she growled. "I'm kidnapping you. To mars." Merlin nodded, completely baffled by her bizarre behavior. Suddenly she stopped and Merlin ran into her, she stumbled before he caught her.

"What?" He asked after she caught her balance. She just shook her head and gestured to her right. Merlin followed her gaze and his sight landed on a tall blond man. He blinked, he knew that man, but he didn't know from where. The blond straightened up, his sky blue eyes almost instantly locking with his own, and Merlin watched as they widened with recognition. _"I'm his son, Arthur." _Merlin forced the thought (memory?) to the back of his mind and stared at the blond, wondering just what that sense of déjà-vu was.

"I'm sorry," Freya apologized to the blond. The blond waved her apology off as he stared at Merlin with a strange emotion on his face.

"That's alright," he said finally, and then he turned to Merlin, his gaze thoughtful. "You look… familiar, somehow. Do I know you?"

His voice was deep and kind, like the gentle breeze of summer, but filled with strength, as if something bad had happened in his past and he had learned to move on. And it was full of courage, along with some sense of… nobility and justice, and the longing to do something that was right. Merlin stared at him, and then he shook his head, a wry smile twitching at his lips. "No," he denied somewhat sadly. "I've never met you, although you _do _look familiar." He wasn't sure what drove him to admit that, but there was just something about the blond that made Merlin instantly trust him. As if he was reconnecting with a part of him that he had never realized he was missing, or he had just discovered that he was a long-lost brother (which was impossible, he had no brothers and the only feature they shared was their blue eyes, except his were a stormy sea blue, while the blond was the sky).

The blond smiled wryly, and Freya looked between them, as if she was realizing something, there was _something _in her eyes that told Merlin that she knew who he was. Merlin had seen that look in her eyes before a few times, it was a look that was too old for her, and he didn't like that. "Maybe we have met before, but we never knew it?" Blond suggested and Merlin nodded, warming up to the idea.

"Yeah, like in a past life." Blondie's eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully, a worn expression showing in his eyes and Merlin felt a surge of protectiveness and then he felt confused by that protectiveness. He didn't even know the blond's name. Blond suddenly smiled and looked at him cheerfully.

"It's possible, like reincarnation." Blond agreed simply, then he paused and held out his right hand and Merlin took it with his own, feeling surprised by the strong, calloused grasp, as if he had spent years using a sword or a gun (and he would know). "I'm Arthur." The blond –Arthur- introduced himself. Freya's eyes widened in surprise but Merlin didn't really take note of that. He felt a soft smile spread on his face, and some kind of feeling, a rejoicing, content, relaxed and… fulfilled emotion settled in him, so deep that it felt like it was his _soul _that was the feeling, or his magic.

"I'm Merlin," he replied. Then he paused and his eyes widened in realization, "Wait! _You're_ the blond prat!" Arthur looked at him in amusement, his eyes twinkling with an eyebrow raised and Merlin blushed as he realized what he had just blurted out. "Not that that's a bad thing, in fact it could be good! A very good thing…" He paused at Arthur's more and more amused expression and glared. "…I should shut up now."

Arthur chuckled slightly. "Don't worry," he said and Merlin winced. "I've been called worst. But if you get to call me prat…" a strange, nostalgic expression crossed his face, "then I get to call you… idiot." Merlin gaped at him and Arthur smirked, before he shrugged a little. "Hey, fair's fair. You call me prat, I call you idiot."

Merlin chuckled and nodded, a strange feeling of ecstasy erupting in him. "Alright then," He smiled slightly, "I'll see you around." Arthur nodded and Merlin shouldered his bag before turning to Freya, who watched him with a raised eyebrow. He blinked then tilted his head, "What?" Freya shook her head, laughing.

"It doesn't matter. See you around, Arthur." She added and Merlin blinked before she literally dragged him away from Arthur. He yelped as his shoes made tracks in the snow, but she ignored him, forging on in determination.

_January 25, 2006 17:48_

Gwaine, why did he annihilate his own house? That was the first thing that crossed Merlin's mind when he saw the inside of it as Freya ransacked through the opsicle course. Then he realized something, not even Gwaine would destroy his own house, no matter how drunk he was. It was then that alarm bells went off in Merlin's head.

"Freya," he called out and she looked up, her eyes confused and a little fearful, but her hand was steady, as it reached out for the chair that had tipped over. He shook his head, scanning the room swiftly and then he gaze settled back on her. "This wasn't Gwaine." Freya's eyes widened and his narrowed as he began to scan the apartment. "Gwaine wouldn't… _get back_!" He said suddenly, his eyes flaring gold as he reached inside his bag for the gun he always kept with him. The gun appeared in his hand, as it clicked into place and he pointed it down, his hand on the trigger, ready to shoot at a moment's notice. Freya ducked behind a chair, her eyes darting around and both of them were on high alert when a woman appeared, her ruby-red lips twitched upwards in a light smirk. She looked up and Merlin froze as he stared into those deep, beautiful, sage green eyes. Flashes of the same person went through his mind and he knew who she was, but he didn't speak.

"My, the NPA has drained their dog well." She said, her voice sly and not at all what it should be like. (Kind, warm, compassionate, that was what it should be. But then, he had destroyed that.)

Merlin swallowed, feeling a catharsis of emotions inside of him that he barely understood. Because she wasn't _his_, she was different now, not that evil witch that he once knew, she had to be! (He wondered why he thought she was a witch, and then he figured that it was due to his dreams that always had her in them. Sometimes as a friend –she almost seemed to be more, what with the looks they gave each other, then as a vengeful enemy, who had once been on the right path but it all changed when he had messed things up, as he always did.) "I- I am not a dog." He murmured, and her cold green eyes shone, her lips thinning as she crossed her arms.

"Tut, tut, Merlin, I thought we were past the lying stage. After all, you lied to me all those years back _then._" She glared at him, all emotions out of her eyes other than hatred and Merlin knew that she hadn't changed one bit.

"I don't know you." He whispered, shaking his head in denial. Because he _couldn't _know her, no matter how much it seemed like he did. She took a step forward so that she was uncomfortably close and he took a step back, his grip slackening on the gun. "I have _never _met you before in my life." He added more strongly, his grip tightening on the gun again even though he was backed up into the wall. He knew he would need it for sure, eventually. She frowned slightly, and then a seductive look crossed her face as she pressed into him and he felt his face heat. He tried to disappear into the wall. It didn't work very well.

"Merlin," she purred, her sage eyes flashing with a strange emotion as she traced circles on his arm, starting by his wrist, (where he held the gun) but steadily climbing upwards. "Merlin, Merlin, Merlin," she almost sounded disappointed. "You have never met me in _this _life."

Merlin jerked his head away, glaring at the ground with heat. "This is my _only _life." He growled out finally, looking up to met her eyes and he was suddenly unafraid. "Don't even try to mess with me." He shivered when her surprisingly icy fingers touched his neck.

She sighed in disappointment. "Merlin…" she murmured, looking at him thoughtfully. "You don't remember… any of it? Not the castle or the knights or even… Arthur?" Merlin's eyes widened as his mind flashed to the man he had met and she nodded, her eyes hard again. "I thought so." She murmured, and then she kissed him, hard.

He froze for a moment, his eyes widening, then he thought of Freya and he began to try to push her away, still holding the gun. He was sure it had fired but he ignored it, (and the strange feelings rising in him) and kept trying to push the woman away, but it was undoubtfully getting harder, when suddenly she stopped and Merlin finally, _finally, _removed his lips from hers with a gasp and shoved her away. She looked at him, a strange expression of surprise and betrayal on her face before Freya hit her in the head, with a frying pan.

"That was for touching him," she spat, fury in her eyes and an unearthly aura surrounding her**.** Merlin couldn't take his eyes off her. She looked up, her gaze still blazing with power and he knew that in that moment, he wanted no one else. Her gaze softened slightly as she knelt by him, although she still looked annoyed, (at him, no doubt) and cocked an eyebrow. "Are you alright, Merlin?" She asked and he smiled slightly at her and he bowed his head.

"I will be," he murmured, his voice surprisingly quiet as he realized how tired he was. "Just… tired." He admitted, and then he looked up at her, his gaze curious. She tilted her head and rested her hand on top of his, gently rubbing it like one would a dog and he closed his eyes, resting his forehead against hers. "Thank you," he added his voice no louder than it was, but warm. He heard her soft breathing as she wrapped her arms around him.

"No problem," she replied gently.

* * *

_Merlin picked up a sword when a cold looking man entered. "That's a fine blade." The man remarked, and Merlin jumped, looking up._

_"__It's for Arthur." Merlin said softly. _

_"__He won't be needing it today. I will be taking Arthur's place."_

_Merlin looked surprised. "But Sire..." he trailed off, not knowing what to say. _

_"__Prepare me for battle." The king's tone made it clear he expected that he would be obeyed._

_Merlin looked confused. "Arthur should be the one that fights today."_

_The man sighed slightly. "The grievance was with me, the fight is mine."_

_Merlin frowned, and then he said, "I don't have your armor" _

_The king nodded at the sword. "That'll do. It's likely to make little difference."_

_"__Erm, I-I'll get you your sword." Merlin said, stuttering slightly. _

_The man rolled his eyes. "This will be fine."_

_Merlin shook his head, his eyes desperate. "No, Sire. You don't understand. Erm, That one was made specifically for Arthur."_

_The man frowned. "Who made it?"_

_Merlin bit his lip. "Erm, er, Tom, the blacksmith."_

_The man looked down at the sword. "It's worthy of a King."_

_Merlin shifted. "You would be better off with a sword you trusted."_

_The king frowned and shook his head. "No. It has almost perfect balance. Tom's not the Royal Sword smith. I'm surprised Arthur went to him."_

_Merlin blushed slightly. "Oh, that was me. I felt he needed a better sword."_

_The grey haired man paused and looked at Merlin. "You show him the most extraordinary loyalty." He said, his tone and eyes were thoughtful. Merlin looked down. _

_"__That is my job, Sire." He replied softly. The man shook his head._

_"__But beyond the line of duty." He looked confused, as if he genuinely didn't get it. _

_Merlin looked at the king, biting his lip, before he said, "Well... You could say...that there is a bond between us."_

_The king nodded a strange expression in his eyes. "I'm glad, look after him."_

* * *

_February 1, 2006 11:59_

Merlin kept his gaze on the television set, steadily growing more and more angry, as he wondered what he was _doing_. The person on the TV was the President, Uther Pendragon, and by his side was his daughter, the green-eyed woman who had assaulted him, who was also (coincidentally) the First Lady, Morgana.

"What is he doing now?" A strange but familiar voice asked and Merlin jumped, only to stare at Arthur Morningdove in surprise. The blond raised an eyebrow at his reaction and looked over his shoulder and snorted when he read the headline. "Really? He's sending out more troops to the Middle East?" Arthur rolled his eyes and Merlin nodded, watching the blond curiously.

"It sounds like you know him." He told the blond, crossing his arms and propping one foot against the concrete wall, and then he raised an eyebrow. "Do you, Arthur?"

Arthur looked at him with the ghost of a smile on his lips and shook his head. "No," he admitted, his voice strangely warm. "I know- _knew_- Morgana." He looked forlornly at the brightly covered screen, his eyes distant and Merlin couldn't help but be curious about the blond standing in front of him. Arthur looked at him and smiled slightly. "She was a friend of mine. When I was younger." Merlin looked at him, tilting his head.

"It sounds like she was more." He said softly and then he laughed at Arthur's horrified expression. "I am wrong, then?" He asked in amusement and Arthur scowled heavily at him.

"Idiot," he mumbled. "Why am I telling you all of this?" He looked at Merlin in confusion, his expression suddenly vulnerable and strangely open. _But it shouldn't be like that, he's always had a mask, even back in the old days… _Merlin shook the thought of his head. "No one's gotten more than two words out of me since… for ages, and yet you come along and it just seems like I can just… trust you." Arthur looked frustrated as he ran his hand through his blond hair. Merlin swallowed against the lump that had surprisingly rose in his throat, because for some reason he felt the same way, but he _knew _he couldn't tell the great prat about his magic, much less about the fact that he was an _assassin. _(He ignored the tiny voice in his head telling him that it was his own fault, he hadn't _always _wanted to be an assassin.)

"Yeah, well, I know that you're a prat for sure." Merlin said jokingly and Arthur childishly stuck his tongue out at him. Both of them laughed and Merlin acting on a stroke of inspiration, asked, "Would you like to meet us sometime at Susie's?"

Arthur looked at him in confusion for a moment, before his expression cleared. "Freya and you? Sure, and Susie's is that small diner close to the park, right?"

Merlin nodded with a slight smile, knowing that his eyes were dancing warmly in the light. "Yeah," he paused and reached into his bag and pulled out a card, scribbling his number on it. "Here's my number," he said handing it to Arthur and the blond took it. "Call me when you can meet up with us." He turned on his heel and waved over his shoulder before he strode purposefully toward the campus.

Arthur watched his retreated figure with a slight frown, fingering the card. "What in the world have you gotten yourself into now, Merlin?" He mumbled, shaking his head. "Why the _NPA_, I'll never know but you really should be more careful about what you get yourself into." He shook his head before he turned on his heel and left.

_February 9, 2005 15:39_

Merlin and Freya walked to the diner, both of them wearing heavy jackets as they trudged through the deep snow. Merlin mumbled profanities under his breath, which were so strong that they surprised even himself. Freya shook her head and determinedly went on ahead of him, ignoring the fact that her boots were filling with snow. Merlin sighed and waded after her, wishing more and more that he could just melt it all with a flash of his eyes, he knew he could, he had when he was younger, but he didn't want to be sent to a lab.

Freya looked over her shoulder and smiled in amusement and he glared at her as she waded back and held out her hand. "You really do hate snow," she chuckled. "I've forgotten how amusing it is to watch you swear and fall through it." Merlin rolled his eyes and took her hand with his own, feeling the normal tang that he always felt when he had grabbed it, when he had first felt it (they were about twelve) he had been confused about it, but eventually he got used to it, although he was confused. "Come on, we need to get to Arthur." She added in exasperation, tugging on his hand. Merlin laughed and she began to lead him effortlessly through it.

"How do you do it?" He marveled staring at her and she smirked over her shoulder at him, and he felt himself heat up. "It's easily a foot, and yet, you can wade through it effortlessly." She chuckled and pecked him on the cheek and he felt his ears go red. He hoped she wouldn't notice, or if she did, she would blame it on the cold. He couldn't like her! She was like a sister! They had known each other since they were barely old enough to crawl and that meant that they were sib-

"I guess I've just got that ability." She said warmly, and Merlin exhaled heavily against the wish to just kiss her there and then. "Besides, you're just so clumsy that you always end up falling into the snow." She chuckled as they arrived at the diner and Merlin smiled.

"It's not my fault that I was born with two left feet." He defended himself happily and Freya glanced at him strangely as he opened the door and gestured for her to go in. They both spotted Arthur and Merlin walked over to him, smile still on his face, while she went up to the counter to get something hot to drink. The older blond glanced at him from over his newspaper and raised an eyebrow.

"What's up with the smile, _Mer_lin?"

Stormy blue eyes twinkled at sky blue. "You wouldn't understand," he replied, shrugging off the heavy coat. Arthur rolled his eyes, although he looked amused, just a bit.

"Of course I would, idiot. I could tell that you like her when I met you. Probably love would be a better word." Merlin felt his ear heat up again and he ducked his head.

"Shut up, prat." He grumbled and Arthur smirked lightly, sitting back.

"That's my sentence, modify prat with idiot, though. So, I take it that it's true. You haven't denied it and your actions speak for what you don't want to say out loud. You do like her." Merlin stuck his tongue out at the prat and Arthur grinned, his eyes laughing. "You better tell her sometime, it's not like she'll wait forever." A momentary expression of pain crossed his eyes before he smiled again, more bitter sweetly but Merlin had noticed it and he wondered what had happened.

"It sounds like something of that nature happened to you." He stated softly. Arthur looked surprised, but then he smiled slightly.

"Maybe, but I can't go back ten years." Arthur admitted, definitely sounding a little sad. Merlin looked at him thoughtfully, wondering why he felt so drawn to the man. (Almost as if he was a long-lost sibling, or a part of his soul. Maybe he was a long-lost sibling, but he couldn't remember if his mother had said anything about once having a sibling.) "Besides, there was no hope for Guinevere and I, we were too different and she loved Lancelot, and Lancelot loved her. He is a better man than me." Arthur sighed softly and Merlin looked at him.

"It'll be alright in the end, though, Arthur." He said softly and the blond looked up at him with a sad smile, as if he was remembering something.

"Yes, but _when, _Merlin, that is the question. One month from now? One week from now? Or will it be one year or ten years?" Arthur looked at him beseechingly and Merlin swallowed the lump in his throat.

"I can't answer that, Arthur," he admitted sadly. "Not now, and perhaps never. But I know that it _will _get better, eventually." Arthur bit his bottom lip, before he nodded with a slightly smile.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "I don't know what's gotten into me, usually I'm more quiet…" Merlin grinned and Arthur blushed slightly.

"Guess that I have that face." He said warmly and Arthur snorted as Freya walked up to them, holding two cups in one hand and another in the third.

She smiled slightly and handed one to Arthur, who eyed it suspiciously before he took a sip and he looked surprised. Merlin smiled at her and took the offered cup, taking a sip immediately and melting into his seat as he realized that it was Hot Chocolate. "I'm not sure what you like, Arthur," Freya admitted, somewhat flustered. "So I just got you some chocolate." Arthur smiled at her.

"Thanks, Freya. It's very good."

* * *

**Author's Note: **I couldn't cut this down anymore. Or proofread it. I swear, I went over this over ten times. I wanted to keep it around to 4,500 word range... didn't work. :/ Expect Chapter Four around Christmas/New Year's everyone. :)


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